TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla —
He wears a uniform with command chief insignia, however Air Pressure Sustainment Middle Command Chief Grasp Sgt. Robert Schultz doesn’t need that to make anybody suppose he’s right here to serve and lead solely navy members.
“I don’t view myself because the chief for simply the enlisted, I’m the chief of the Air Pressure Sustainment Middle,” Schultz stated. “If it issues to our civilian or navy Airmen, then it issues to me. I’m right here to assist your entire group.”
It’s a important enterprise, because the 40,000-person AFSC workforce is roughly 88 % civilian and dispersed amongst 24 places. To assist bridge the communication hole, Schultz established a Fb web page – Air Pressure Sustainment Middle Command Chief. He makes use of the web page to focus on Airmen all through the middle, present the numerous missions of AFSC and share data from senior Air Pressure management.
“You may get lots completed via social media, however in no way is it a alternative for one-on-one private contact,” Schultz stated. “That’s a key cause why we get on the market and discuss to Airmen. Eye-to-eye contact – that’s a part of the human expertise that’s crucial if you happen to intend to steer.”
Visiting Airmen the place they work has helped Schultz study first-hand the extent of the AFSC mission.
“I anticipated a studying curve coming into this, however it has been steeper than I believed and I anticipate it’ll be for your entire time I’m right here,” he stated. “The scale and scope of what the sustainment middle encompasses and the complexity of all of the shifting elements is spectacular.”
As an “Air Mobility man” by commerce, Schultz spent the vast majority of his profession benefitting from the work of Air Pressure Materiel Command delivering well-maintained plane to the flight line. “I carry a full understanding of what it means to belief the standard of labor we do, having flown on these plane, having loaded them. We put our Airmen again within the combat with these belongings,” Schultz stated.
That background offers the command chief a larger appreciation for the AFSC mission at the moment. “The work of the sustainment middle is like oxygen,” stated Schultz. “We don’t give it some thought daily, we simply breathe. The Air Pressure breathes within the arduous work and we simply anticipate it to occur. However as quickly as you limit that oxygen, it turns into the solely factor you consider. Leaders are recognizing what the middle really does for our Air Pressure mission,” he stated. “I’m excited to be right here with a lot deal with the arduous work being executed.”
In his conversations with Airmen, Schultz makes it a degree to handle readiness, notably relating to the pacing challenges the navy is dealing with. He desires to make sure they perceive the gravity of the state of affairs and what it could imply when it comes to precise battle.
“For years, we operated from a place of superiority the place now we have been capable of dictate when and the way struggle was executed,” he stated. “Within the subsequent battle, that will now not be the case. My focus is to make sure we’re creating the subsequent technology of Airmen for that high-end combat.”
The chief highlights two important parts with regards to the non-public growth of a reliable Airman – competence and character. His recommendation to these simply beginning their careers focuses on maturing these elements.
“Set up a powerful basis of job competence. That sound basis builds credibility,” he stated. “We’d like consultants. We don’t want you to be simply usually good. That’s not going to win the struggle.”
And character, he stated, could make or break a profession. “Keep centered on being particular person and doing the proper factor and you’ll finally achieve success.”
